180 degree rule

The 180 degree rule is a basic guideline in film making that deals with the on screen positioning of the characters and on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene. An imaginary line called the axis connects the characters and by keeping the camera on one side of this axis for every shot in the scene, the first character will always be frame right of the second character, who is then always frame left of the first. If the camera passes over the axis, it is called jumping the line or crossing the line.

This pictures explains the 180 degree rule in a visual form the camera has to remain on the one side in order for it not to break the 180 degree rule. If the rule is broken this could confuse the audience as the characters may look as if they have switched sides when they have not.

Although the 180 degree rule often seems not to be broken because it may not be executed well a film that uses the 180 rule well is Batman the dark night. The interrogation scene between batman and the joker.

In the first picture the joker is talking so the camera is looking at him from the left side of batman's shoulder so the joker is clearly positioned on the right side of the screen and batman the left. In the beginning of  this scene batman is has the upper hand is seems to own most of the power.

 

In the next shot the camera looks at batman through the jokers left shoulder, when he is meant to be looked at from the jokers right shoulder, which would mean the camera is still on the right side of the 180 degree rule but instead because he is been looked at from the jokers left shoulder this indicates that the 180 degree rule has been broken and there has been a change in who has the most power, the 180 degree rule has been broken because the joker has given batman un expected news which has a hold over batman. Usually the 180 degree rule would be seen a wrong but because of the shocking power switch in this scene the audience now knows that it is the joker that now has the power.

Here is the actual clip to view the 180 degree rule being broken.

 

A film that does not break the 180 degree rule would be Wedding Crashers

 

The first shot is of the man talking to his wife who he wants to divorce they are arguing about their relationship, He is on the left hand side of the camera whilst the converstionis going on.

 

The next shot is of the women replying, she is arguing with the same amount of force that he uses and they both hold the same amount of power, there is no power strugle althought they are both angry and forceful with their word. She remains on the right hand side of the camera and screen.

 

The next shot shows the mediators they are a part of the argument, they are there to adjudicate their relationship and try to solve their problems, this shot breaks up the conversation and although this happens the 18 degree rule is not broken because the cameras then flicks back the the man. 

 

This shot shows the man talking again, although the camera flicked away in between the conversation between him and hes wife the 180 degree rule is not broken because he still remains on the left side of the camera and screen.

Below is the clip of the 180 degree rule not being broken